The Obesity Society President Jacqueline Stephens, PhD, FTOS, will deliver her ObesityWeek 2026 Presidential Address, “From Discovery to Impact: Transforming Lives — Together,” during the Presidential Plenary session on Saturday, Nov. 14, 5:45–7 pm ET in the Potomac AB, Ballroom Level, of the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.

Honoring History and Presidential Medalists

After a welcome and introduction from The Obesity Society Chief Executive Officer, Sherlyn B. Celone-Arnold, MS, President Stephen’s address will trace the Society’s journey from a small group of visionary scientists and clinicians to a global community whose work now shapes research, patient care, and policy. It will celebrate the trailblazers whose discoveries changed what’s possible for people living with obesity, and it will look ahead to how professionals in the field can continue shaping the future together.

“The Obesity Society started in the early 1980s with only a few clinicians and scientists who realized that obesity was a complex disease. In our early years, the Society was only about 100 people, but they focused on the science and realized that obesity was not simply a condition caused by overeating,” Dr. Stephens said. “I don’t use the word lightly, but they were visionaries. By focusing on the complexity of the disease, these few clinicians and scientists have led our Society to grow quickly—two years ago we reached 2,200 people at our conference; this year we will have more than 5,000. We have grown into a diverse membership that includes people directing clinical trials, advocating on Capitol Hill for access to comprehensive care, researching in their labs, and working across everything that is obesity.”

Dr. Stephens, an adipocyte biologist, said that obesity has long been misunderstood and stigmatized, and its deep connections to poverty, living conditions, racism, and environmental factors have often been overlooked. She noted that the Society’s founding commitment to rigorous science and transformative care helped challenge those misperceptions and laid the groundwork for today’s advances in treatment.

After her address, Dr. Stephens will present this year’s three Presidential Medals of Distinction, which recognize leaders who have shaped care for people with obesity through outstanding scientific achievement, public service aimed at improving population health, bold efforts to spotlight obesity-related issues, and advocacy.

Dr. Stephens noted that the three 2026 medal recipients are a group of accomplished women who are researchers and thought leaders.

“I think that is important to show the progress in our field by highlighting women in science on our stage,” Dr. Stephens said.

One of the medalists, Ania Jastreboff, MD, PhD, has been a principal investigator on pivotal clinical trials of tirzepatide and other hormone-based therapies for obesity. Her work of more than 20 years has also leveraged advanced neuroimaging to examine the neurobiology underlying obesity and the mechanisms and actions of obesity medications.

Medal recipient Robyn Pashby, PhD, FTOS, has made outstanding contributions to advancing the understanding of weight stigma, bias-related trauma, and the emotional burden associated with obesity, disordered eating, and behavioral health.

Carole Sztalryd-Woodle, PhD, another medal recipient, has significantly advanced the understanding of fat cell biology, lipolytic proteins, and their functions and interactions. Her work on lipid droplets and lipid droplet–mitochondria interactions has illuminated how cells balance fat storage and oxidative energy use, particularly in muscle and heart tissues.

The Wadden and Bray Awards

The Presidential Plenary session also includes the recognition of two named award recipients.

The Thomas A. Wadden Award for Distinguished Mentorship honors a mid-career or senior TOS member for distinguished mentorship of the Society’s early-career investigators. This year, Dr. Stephens will deliver the award to Jeffrey Zigman, MD, PhD, FTOS, who for more than 20 years has led researchers in his lab at UT Southwestern through groundbreaking investigations into better understanding the relationship between hormones, the brain and peripheral nervous system in the regulation of eating, body weight, and more.

The George A. Bray Founders Award recognizes an individual for significant contributions that advance the scientific or clinical basis for understanding or treating obesity and for extensive involvement with the Society. Dr. Stephens will present this year’s award to Darleen Sandoval, PhD, FTOS, who will then give a short presentation on her research.

“I really admire Dr. Sandoval’s work,” Dr. Stephens said. “She is currently investigating the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying post-bariatric hypoglycemia, and whether these same mechanisms contribute to the improvements in glucose control seen after bariatric surgery. Her research is a wonderful example of what I mean by ‘from discovery to impact,’ and of who we are and what we have achieved together as The Obesity Society.”

President Stephens and the Society congratulate all the award winners and recognize their contributions to science and the field of obesity.